Rowing machines are a type of exercise equipment intended to duplicate the rowing stroke of a boat in water. With conventional rowing machines, the resistance of the water is simulated in various ways, for example, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder assemblies or wind fan assemblies. Typically, the rowing machine has a handle or a pair of pivoted rowing arms which the user pulls towards his body, and a slidable seat which moves back and forth upon a track as the arms are moved against the force of the resistance mechanism. With these rowing machines, only a single resistance mechanism is applied through the arms.
There are several drawbacks to these conventional rowing machines. Because the machine's resistance is applied through the arms, the force of the resistance travels through the arms and down through the rower's back. As a consequence, the energy which the user expends and the length of the workout is limited by the strength of the rower's arms and back, which are often one of the weakest areas of the body. Accordingly, the user's cardiovascular and strength workout is somewhat limited. Alternatively, if the user uses a conventional rowing machine at too high of an exercise level, it is likely that injury to the back or muscle strain may result. Risk of back injury or strain is compounded by the fact that conventional hydraulic rowing machines are typically designed so that it is often necessary for the user to pull upwardly on the handles at the beginning of each stroke.
Many conventional rowing machines are also relatively large and cumbersome in design. For example, for rowing machines which employ a wind fan assembly, the wind fan is located on one end of the rowing machine track, thereby resulting in a relatively long exercise device which requires a great deal of space. Also, past attempts with flywheel-type resistance mechanisms have resulted in flywheels of extremely heavy weight, thereby making the exercise device difficult to move for storage or other purposes. Conventional rowing machine exercisers are also problematic because of the high level of noise which is generated when in use.
The present invention addresses these and many other problems associated with currently available rowing machine exercisers.